The change of the government has done little to change of fate of contractors in the state who are still waiting for the Congress government to clear pending bills amounting to an estimated Rs 25,000 crore.
Though it is 100 days since the Siddaramaiah government came to power, the state contractors association is unhappy with the slow progress of fund release. The association is set to meet the coming Wednesday to chalk out the future course of action.
Karnataka State Contractors Association (KSCA) president D Kempanna told DH that the contractors are not happy with a manner in which the state government is deferring the clearing the pending bills to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore.
"We have no other choice but to take steps to fight for our rights. Therefore, we have decided to meet on Wednesday to give shape to the 'struggle' to ensure that the state government finds its way to clear our bills as early as possible," he said.
He noted that except in departments like Minor Irrigation and Public Works, all other departments have not even started the process of clearing bills, which is hurting those contractors who completed their works on hand loans and institutional borrowings.
"They fear that their families will literally come to the streets if the state government does not take measures to clear our bills," Kempanna explained.
Meanwhile, a contractor from BBMP told this newspaper on condition of anonymity that bills in a civic body like Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Irrigation department have not moved a bit.
Published 03 September 2023, 00:02 IST